The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-18
CANADIAN RECIPROCITY,
Argument of Hon. Benjamin. Butterworth In
Favor of Closer Relations.

Argument of Hon. Benjamin ButterwOrth In
Favor of Closer Relations.
TORONTO, March 1.-The Mail this morning
contains a letter from the Hon. Benjamin But
terworth, member of Congress from Cincinnati,
who introduced bill in Congress for the largest
reciprocity between Canada and the United
States. The following are extracts:
''You are familiar with the details of the prop
osition contained in the bill introduced by me
at the closing days of the last session of Con-
gress. That closer commercial relations, or
ugly and possibly permanent estrangement, be-
tween Canada and the United States must in the
near future obtain. seems too clear to need ar
gument to sustain it, 1t is the inexorable logic
of the situation. That closer and freer com
mercial relations are desirable from every point
of view is apparent, and it seems equally clear
that there is measure of reciprocity short of
that which is full and com mplete that can meet
the obvious requirements OF the situation
repeat, the way out of the p, esent ENHANCEMENT
will lead to a most happy and valuable. in every
sense. unity Of commercial and social in
terests between ourselves and our neighbors
and knsnen on the north, aliena-
tion and estrangement which would be alike
dscreditable to our craftsmanship and our hu-
manity. Either we will take down the partition
wall which forces cur commerce hack upon our
selves and stops its flow along the natural chan
nels which it unerringly seeks out. and give it
full scope, so that trade between the United
tween New York and Ohio, or we will line our
northern boSder with evidences of retrograd-
ing civilization-forts on the land and cruisers
on the lake, picketing the thirty hundred
miles Of our frontier with customs officers and
spies. Such condition of things is alike un-
natural and unwise. l have not the time nor
the inclination to increase the length and en-
large the scope of this letter by canvassing tho
resources of Canada which We need and ulti.
mately must have, and the mutual dependence
of one country upon the other Suffice it to say
that no intelligent person who care
tate to pronounce in favor of the fullest
and most complete reciprocity. Fortunately,
Canada is as free and clothed with ful, power
to conclude the arrangements is the United
States. The former. by such a course, will in no
wise disturb her relations with the mother
country. The ties that bind her to England are
not commercial; they are those which reach
from hearthstone to hearthstone, and could only
be destroyed by the mother country in effort
to nterpose insuperabie barriers in the way of
the prosperity and happiness Of her children on
this side OF the Atlantic. This England will not
do. OF couree, in case of full reciprocity as
proposed in the bill to which | have called your
attention. the internal revenue system of Cara
da would require some notifications but this
relates to matters of detail. and presents
no serious obstacle worth considering.
Our tariff systems are now substantially
the same, and would be made identical.
and that system which has placed the
United States in the front rank of manufactur-
ing nations would speedily do like service for
Canada. A settlement of the question about
the mackerei and Goldfish is not difficult. and.
compared with the vast interests affected by the
settlement. all the fish in controversy would not
make q noticeable side-dish. II Canada, in the
interests Of attaining what l am persuaded five
sixths of tho people of both countries desire
could for one year extend the privileges hereto